


[CONTINUE]

by SinzutheGreat



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Asriel Dreemurr Lives, Chara Has Issues, Gen, Good Chara, Mew Mew Kissy Cutie, Monster Frisk, No shipping, Okay maybe some shipping later on but it won't be the focus, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route, Post-Undertale Pacifist Route - "I want to stay with you.", References to Undertale Genocide Route, SAVED Asriel Dreemurr, Undertale Spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-07-16
Updated: 2016-09-11
Packaged: 2018-07-24 10:41:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 12
Words: 9,892
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7505107
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SinzutheGreat/pseuds/SinzutheGreat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Why do you keep coming back? You've saved the world countless times, but there's still someone you need to save.<br/>(First chapter originally posted on deviantART)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

You wake up on a bed of flowers, as usual. You've gone through the story so many times, you could probably do it again with your eyes closed. You go through the motions. You're tricked by the flower, saved by the goat lady, then break her heart by leaving. You have fun with the skeletons, and even go on a date with one. You're friendzoned again, of course. You run from the angry fish, then make friends with her through a cooking disaster. You meet the lizard and the robot, win a few game shows, and help the lizard build something resembling self-confidence. You press on past an intense pose-off to reach the king. He still doesn't want to fight you, but does anyways. You try to spare him. The flower doesn't let you. You spare the flower instead. He can't understand.  
...  
Back at the castle, just before you fight the king. You turn back, and help the lizard confess her undying love for the fish. Then, you go and face the nightmares the lizard had created long ago. You go back to the castle. Your fight with the king is stopped by the goat lady. All of your friends are here. It looks like everyone's happy. The flower doesn't let it stay that way. Now, more powerful than ever before, he finds himself again: Asriel Dreemurr, a little boy, alone and scared. But he won't let you see it. You remember why you're here, hold onto your hopes, and survive until you've saved your friends, and him. You forgive him for what he's done, and comfort him in his sorrow. He doesn't want to let go.  
...  
Everyone's huddled around you. You immediately run back through all the caves and dungeons you'd worked through to get here. All the way back to that bed of flowers you keep finding yourself back on. There he is. Your best friend. You already know what he's going to say; you've heard it a hundred times.

"...Frisk?" He looks you in the eyes, concerned and... afraid? "I... I know that look. You've... already been here, haven't you?"

He figured it out. No more hiding. You nod solemnly.

"Why?" Now he's confused and afraid. And probably about to cry. "Why would you... take away everyone's happy ending?"

You tell him exactly why.

"M-me? You want to... save me?" He laughs sadly. "Frisk... Seriously, don't you have anything better to do?" He looks up at the sunlight shining down from far above. "Just let them go. Let everyone live their lives. I'm happy just knowing that they're finally free."

You find your voice, and speak up. "But I'm not!"

Asriel jumps. So do you. You're usually barely audible, you weren't sure you could make a loud, bold statement like that.

"I can't live knowing that you're still going to be stuck down here," you continue, "all alone, and unable to love anymore. You deserve a happy ending as much as everyone else!"

You take a deep breath, and start your plan. A small, red heart appears in your hands. You offer it to him.

"N-no," he stammers, "I can't, then you'll-"

You cut him off by splitting it in two. You instantly feel your strength drain away. You're used to feeling exhausted, though, so you still hold yourself up, and keep smiling.

"O-o-okay..." He hesitantly takes half of your soul. At his touch, the missing half fills in grey. Then it vanishes into him. It's his soul now.

You collapse to your hands and knees. You barely have enough strength to keep awake. Your vision blurs. Your ears buzz. You make out a few things- furry hands, Asriel's voice- before everything goes dark.  
...  
You wake up on a bed that feels simply too small for you. You feel... off, but you're not sure why. Then you notice a few... oddities. Your hands are covered in white fur. Your bare feet have become paws. You rush out of the room, and look in the hallway mirror.

Is it really you? A boss monster is looking at you in the reflection. You press your hand against the glass, unsure if this is a dream, hallucination, or failed reset.

...No. Despite everything, it's still you, Frisk. You find Asriel over in the living room. Then, the two of you start your walk back to the castle.

You're worried about how everyone will react. Will they believe you? Of course they will. Stranger things have happened.

Even if they don't, you won't reset. Not anymore. You'll find a way to make this world work out.

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that's the first Undertale story I've written, finished, and posted. I do intend to continue this story, so if anyone has some suggestions, feel free to drop them. As long as they're not shipping Frisk and Asriel together, because that's not the story I want to tell.


	2. Reunion

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Asriel meet the rest of the gang.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think most people reading this already have a good idea of what's going to happen in this chapter, but I still feel like it's a necessary thing to have.

Walking back through the Underground, you're a bit uncomfortable. Nobody recognizes you, and nobody seems to know who Asriel is. At least they don't ask a lot of questions. Soon, you've reached the castle. You make a quick stop to pick up a heart-shaped locket. Asriel seems happy to have it. He stays pretty quiet, until you're just outside the castle throne room.

"Frisk?" He's having a hard time looking ahead. "I... I don't think I'm ready to see everyone again."

"Don't worry," you tell him. "Mom and-" You stop yourself. You don't live with them quite yet. They're his parents, not yours. "Toriel and Asgore will be so happy to see you, I know it. If either of us should be scared, it should be me." You're still unsure of what to think about being a monster. The more you think about it, the more nervous you get.

"Ha, I guess..." Asriel clutches the locket around his neck. "Okay. I'm ready. Let's go."

The two of you walk through the throne room, and towards The End, where everyone's waiting.

Sans and Toriel are texting each other, while Papyrus complains about it. Meanwhile, Alphys is trying to explain anime to Asgore, with little success. Undyne's just sort of with Alphys, nodding at what she says and occasionally adding a few opinions.

You quietly utter a hello, which somehow gets everyone's attention. When they see you and Asriel, the room goes silent.

Toriel's the first to speak up. "Asriel? Is it really you?"

Asriel nods. "Howdy, Mom. Sorry if I made you worried..."

He quickly finds himself wrapped up in a hug. "I missed you so much, my child," Toriel whispers.

You look over at Asgore. He's just crying. The poor guy's been through quite a day.

"FRISK?" You jump. You'd almost forgotten how loud Papyrus can be. Almost. "WHEN DID YOU GET ALL... FLUFFY?"

"i think they're a monster now, bro," Sans comments. He's so casual, you can hear the lack of capitals.

"FRISK IS A MONSTER NOW? HOW THE HECK DOES THAT WORK???" Papyrus never fails to break the mood.

While the skeletons have their discussion and the Dreemurrs have their group hug, Alphys tugs on your sleeve to get your attention. "Frisk, um... H-how did this happen to you? It has s-something to do with the p-prince being here, d-doesn't it?"

You explain what happened.

"O-o-oh. Th-that's, well..." The lizard's starting to freak out. "L-let me know i-if you, uh, feel weird, okay? I'm w-worried about what might happen to you..."

Right. Monsters and Determination don't mix well. You promise Alphys that you'll tell her if something starts to happen. She seems... slightly relieved.

"Hey, kid." Undyne approaches, much less intense than usual. "So, you're a monster now, yeah?" You nod. "So then, I've got a question." She grins. "Do you want me to show you how to use magic?" And now she's just as intense as she always is. You smile and nod. "GREAT! WE CAN START NOW!"

"U-Undyne," Alphys stammers, "I d-don't think now's a good time..." She nods toward the Dreemurrs. They've just finished hugging it out.

"Oh. Right." Undyne laughs nervously. "Sorry, got a bit carried away there."

You hadn't thought so much about magic before, but it would be pretty cool to do all the things you've seen your friends do.

Turning your attention back to the Dreemurrs, you walk over to them, and wave to get their attention.

"Frisk... I suppose this is all your doing, yes?" You haven't seen Toriel this happy since she thought you would stay in the Ruins. "Thank you. Now, let us all go to the Surface, together."

It's a very short walk. You leave the Underground just in time to see the sunrise.

"Whoa..." Asriel's eyes are wide. "So that's what the sky's like..."

"Isn't it beautiful, everyone?" Asgore smiles at the group.

"This is... even better than on TV! Way better!" Alphys struggles to hold in a squee of delight.

Undyne crosses her arms. "Frisk, you live with all this? The breeze feels so nice..."

"SANS," Papyrus shouts, "WHAT'S THAT BIG BALL OUT THERE?"

"we call that 'the sun', my friend," Sans answers.

"REALLY? WOWIE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M MAKING FRIENDS WITH THE SUN!!!"

"But," Toriel says calmly, "we cannot forget what comes next."

"Right." Asgore clears his throat. "Everyone, today marks a new era for humans and monsters. Frisk, I have a request for you. Would you act as our ambassador to the humans?"

You'd tried doing that a few times. It was... stressful, and you doubt being a monster will make it any easier. You shake your head.

"DON'T WORRY! I CAN BE THE AMBASSADOR!" Papyrus starts running off down the mountain. "I'LL GO MAKE A GOOD FIRST IMPRESSION," he declares as he dashes away.

"welp." Sans shrugs. "someone's gotta keep him out of trouble." With that, Sans departs... back towards the Underground.

"What, Sans!?" Undyne stares at the empty space where the skeleton was moments ago. "Ugh, do I have to do everything around here?" She starts chasing after Papyrus.

"H-hey, Undyne, wait for me!" And Alphys goes chasing after her girlfriend.

Now it's just you and the Dreemurrs. Toriel puts her hand on your shoulder. "Frisk, you came from this world, did you not?" Yes, of course. "So, you must have somewhere to go back to."

...Maybe. But you don't think they miss you. You stay silent for a minute, before shyly asking, "Can... Can I stay with you?"

Asriel looks at Toriel, then Asgore. "Can they?"

"Of course," Asgore says warmly.

"You really are a funny child, Frisk," Toriel remarks. "If you had said that before, none of this would have happened. But, if you truly believe you have nowhere else to go, you may stay with us for as long as you wish. Alright?"

Now you can call her Mom. The four of you begin your walk down the mountain.

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like this is a bit... jarringly different from the first chapter. This one's a lot more dialogue-heavy, and the narration is less detached from the events happening. If anyone reading this would like to say which you like better, I'd appreciate it.
> 
> Also, again, I'm open to suggestions for future chapters. If you have any ideas, please comment them.


	3. Lesson Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk goes to school, then hangs out with Undyne.  
> (Update: Added a title. I forgot to put one in when I posted...)

It's been only a week since you left the Underground for good. In that short time, your friends have built a nice little town at the base of Mt. Ebott, right next to a small lake. Asgore initially was going to name it "Newer Home", but a vote changed the name to simply "Ebott". It's a relaxed, quiet lifestyle. It reminds you of Snowdin Town, right down to the decorated tree in the middle of town and the librarby's name still ironically misspelled.

A sprawling city looms in the distance. You wonder how long it is before any humans come here.  
...  
It's your first Monday living with the Dreemurrs. You still aren't sure if it's okay to call them your family yet... Though Toriel definitely likes it when you call her 'Mom'. In any case, today's also your first day at Toriel's school, along with Asriel, Snowdrake, and that one kid you keep forgetting to ask the name of. From the first minute of class, however, you realize that this might be a bit more difficult than you expected.

After some time of staring at the sheet of paper you've been given, you raise your hand. Toriel nods. "Yes, Frisk? Do you have a question?"

You shyly mumble your reply.

"Please, speak up, my child."

"...I don't know how to read," you whisper quietly enough for only Toriel to hear.

You look away. You don't want to see her reaction. She probably thinks you have some kind of problem... Wait, what? Come on, Frisk, don't be like that. You know she'll help you out.

"Frisk." You flinch a little at the sound of her voice. She sets her hand gently on your shoulder. "Would you like to talk with me for a minute?"

You avoid looking up as you walk out into the hallway. Everyone might be staring, everyone might not care. You don't want to know which it is.

"So you simply cannot read, Frisk?" She's speaking quietly. She's not letting anyone else know. You nod, still not making eye contact. "I see. If you'd like, you can leave school now. I will teach you letters as best I can tonight. Is that okay?"

You manage to look up, and see her expression of caring concern. You nod definitively.

Once you've gotten outside, you decide to spend the day with Undyne. Maybe she'll start showing you how to use magic now. You make your way across town, ultimately reaching a fish-shaped house on the water's edge. You knock on the door, then take a few cautious steps to the side.

A scaly fist sends the door flying across the street. As usual. You look up to see Undyne giving a huge smile. "Hey, punk! I thought you'd never get here!" She's much more excited for the magic lessons than you are, it seems.

After some small talk and spaghetti, the lesson begins. You face Undyne on the edge of the lake. The wind is howling.

"Magic's actually pretty easy if you think about it right," Undyne explains with an air of drama. "It's a way of transforming your dreams and desires to give them shape. So! First lesson!" Undyne points at you, then summons a spear made of flickering white magic into her outstretched arm. "Look into your soul, and find your greatest hope! Then, bring it out into the world! SHOW ME YOUR DEEPEST WISHES!!"

She's still a bit scary when she's excited, but you're not freaking out. You close your eyes, and clench your fist over your chest. You feel a familiar warmth as your soul manifests itself in front of you. Of course, you can feel how much weaker it is now, but it's still everything _you_ are. What is your deepest wish, then? You already know. It's to protect the friends you fought so hard to save.

You feel something burst to life in your hands. You open your eyes to see a small fireball floating just between your hands. You crack a smile. This is the same magic Toriel and Asgore use. Seeing it at your command makes you a bit more hopeful that they can be your 'real' family this timeline.

"There ya go, kid!" Undyne gives you a thumbs-up. "Now, let's see you put that stuff to use!" Without warning, she hurls her spear in your direction.

Now you're actually freaking out. Before you think, you throw your little fireball, duck, and clench your eyes shut. You wait for the impact... and it doesn't come.

"Frisk? Aw, crap." You feel a cold, wet claw on your back, and tense up. "Hey, I'm sorry, okay? Got a bit carried away and stuff." You hear a sigh. "But you did pretty damn good. You, uh, blasted my spear into nothing. That's seriously awesome." A pause. "...Frisk? You there?"

You're lost in yourself. You're too wrapped up in memories of your past encounters to hear Undyne trying to console you. Bolts of light whizzing past you, your feet firmly stuck in the ground, running for your life from a monster that simply wants you dead... It feels like it's all happening right now. Somewhere in all this, a memory you don't recognize comes to the surface: A phrase, uttered with total conviction in a heroic voice.

" _Human... No, WHATEVER you are... For the sake of the whole world... I, UNDYNE, will strike you down!_ "

That snaps you back into the present. When did she say that? You don't think she ever said that.

You see Undyne staring at you, unsure of what happened but relieved that you're calmed down. "You okay, Frisk? I really didn't mean to scare you like that."

You shake your head, and tell her it's fine.

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lotta ground to cover, here we go!
> 
> First, Frisk's illiterate. You might be asking, "but what about the things you can read in the game?" My answer is simple: Frisk didn't read them. Chara/Gaster/Whoever you think the narrator is read it. The only times where Frisk must respond to a written prompt are the Quiz Show, the Essay Question (Both of which are very likely to be accompanied by an announcement from a certain robot), and Napstablook's friend request (Which rejects itself even if you accept, rendering the choice moot). They could just use pictures to figure out which contact to use, and never learned Alphys' full opinion of Mew Mew Kissy Cutie 2.
> 
> I do want to slowly unveil a backstory for Frisk, and this is the first part of that. Whether or not we meet their REAL family, I haven't decided yet. But by the end of this story, you'll have another version of why Frisk climbed Mt. Ebott.
> 
> Second, Undyne the Undying. I can't go too much into this without spoiling my plans for future chapters, but basically, in this universe, a Genocide run has at least been attempted, but Frisk has no memory of it.
> 
> Also, sorry for the lack of Asriel in this chapter. He still had to go to school.


	4. It's Raining Somewhere Else

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More memories are coming back.

It's been a few days since your... episode. You told the Dreemurrs about it, of course (though you left out the last part; you're still not sure what it means).

Toriel's been teaching you how to read and write, like she said she would. You're afraid you're taking a bit too long to really get it, but she doesn't seem to mind.  
...  
Asgore and Toriel are out tonight. Some kind of meeting with some probably-important humans. You don't know the details too well, the main thing is that they're out, leaving you and Asriel with the house to yourse-

"heya, kiddos," a laid-back voice rudely interrupts.

"Sans?" Asriel is shocked by the skeleton's abrupt appearance. "Why are you here? And... when did you get here?"

"tori wanted someone to keep an eye on ya," Sans explains. "figured i'd be good for the job, since i've kept an eyesocket on frisk for this long. also, took a shortcut."

You shudder a bit, not sure if he's talking about his promise to Toriel or your many, many past resets.

"hey, lighten up, buddy," Sans says as he flops over onto the nearest couch. "not everything's super deep. read too much, and ya see things that ain't there. so you wanna watch a movie, or not?"

You do want to watch a movie. And so, you, Sans, and Asriel sit down with some freshly-microwaved hot dogs and pop in the movie Sans brought: 'Sharknado'. Shortly after the movie starts, you realize that Sans probably just grabbed the first movie he saw. You and Asriel stare in confusion as this Finn chainsaws his way through an onslaught of hilariously fake sharks. Sans chuckles at your bafflement. It's... an experience.

You and Asriel decide not to watch any of the sequels and go straight to bed.  
...  
_Footsteps echo through the empty hall. All that's behind you is dust, ahead two more enemies to join the rest. One of them stands before you now._

_"heya," it says. "you've been busy." Trying to make a joke. It's almost charming. "so, let me ask you a question: do you think even the worst person can change? that everyone can be a good person, if they just try?"_

_For a moment, you hesitate. The monster laughs. "well, here's a better question: do you wanna have a bad time? 'cause if you take one more step forward... you are really not gonna like what comes next."_

_Is that supposed to be a threat? You take a single step, just to prove a point._

_"welp. sorry, old lady," it says as it turns around. "this is why i never make promises." It looks to one of the windows. "it's a beautiful day outside. birds are singing, flowers are blooming... on days like these, kids like you..."_

_It turns around. Its left eyesocket is burning with blue energy. "...Should be burning in hell."_

_Suddenly, you're pinned to the ground. You're barely able to leap out of the way before bones erupt from the ground beneath you. Just when you think it's over, you find a monstrous skull on either side of you. For a second, you feel something... Fear? It doesn't matter, because in an instant raw energy spewing from these weapons rips apart your body and cracks your soul in half._  
...  
You jolt awake. Where are you? When are you? You look around, and see a concerned Asriel. Looks like it was just a dream.

"Frisk," Asriel whispers, "did you have a nightmare? You were tossing and turning and muttering things..."

"...Yeah," you whisper back with a nod. "I think... I think I was fighting Sans."

"What? You're sure?" Asriel's horrified. Why? You nod yes. "O-oh..."

"Does that mean something?" You're not sure if you want to know the answer.

"Frisk... You know I tried everything I could, right?" Asriel's shaking. Looks like this is a memory he'd like to forget. "Sans only fights you if... If you kill _everyone_."

"Everyone," you repeat. Did you really... But it was just a dream, right? And even if it did happen, it should have been undone when you reset, right? Right?

Your breath stops when you see two tiny lights shining in the darkness. You create a small fire between your hands, lighting up the room. Sans is watching you. He's been watching you.

"like i said," he mutters, "someone's gotta keep an eyesocket on ya."

You're afraid of what's coming... But you stay determined.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy. I wanted to have more interaction between Frisk, Asriel, and Sans, but I figured it would make this chapter pretty dang long. So, I'll be posting chapter five muuuuch sooner than planned. I feel like it's only fair, since I skipped a week. Stay tuned!


	5. It's Raining Here Now

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Picking up where we left off, Sans, Frisk, and Asriel try to figure out just what's going on.

It's started to rain outside. You and Asriel are sitting on one side of the kitchen table, Sans is on the other. Neither you nor ~~your brother~~ Asriel want to say anything, so there's nothing but silence.

"so," Sans says finally, "you kids musta messed up a while ago, huh?"

You nod sadly. "I... don't really remember it..."

"don't worry, kid, neither do i," Sans sighs.

"Wait, really?" Asriel goes from ashamed to baffled. "I thought you were the only one who could remember all of our resetting and stuff."

"nah, i'm nothing special," Sans says with a handwave. "i'm just good at reading people, plus i've got some nice gear. i might show ya guys someday. if we get that far, anywho."

"I'm not resetting anymore," you declare.

"pretty sure you told another sans that." Sans shrugs. "don't worry, i'm used to it. but i'd really appreciate it if you'd let me know next time, k?"

"..." You're not sure what to say to that. He isn't even scathing, just indifferent.

"that aside, you said ya don't remember it, yeah?" You nod. "weird. you too, fluffybuns?"

Asriel raises an eyebrow. "That's my dad, not me."

"k then. you too, fuzzybutt?"

You can't help but giggle a little bit at the raw immaturity of that nickname. Asriel just groans. "No, I don't remember it. And just call me Asriel."

"ok, ok. tough audience, just take a joke." Sans sighs. "so hey, if none of us remember frisk giving us a bit of a bad time, and this is just a random thought, maybe it wasn't all frisk."

"But then why am I having flashbacks of it?" You're afraid to know the answer to that question.

"your guess is good as mine. you and fuzzy are the only ones i know who could reset and save and stuff."

"...I think I have an idea," Asriel says gravely. "But it's... It's stupid."

Sans grins. "no dumb ideas here, kiddo."

You look Asriel in the eyes. "Please... I need to know."

"Okay... Sans, you know about Chara, right?"

"doesn't everyone? they were kind of a big deal."

"Right..." Asriel looks at the ground. "So, you know what... what happened with us, then. What I thought was, if I was able to stay around after that... Maybe they did, too."

Silence fills the room, only for Asriel to break it. "B-but, like I said, it's a stupid idea... And they'd never want to hurt everyone, like..." He trails off. He doesn't want to finish the thought. You already know how it ends.

'Like I did'.

"righty-o, then." Sans stands up, and stretches. "well, that's enough heavy stuff for one night. ya got me 'bone-tired' from all that thinkin'." He chuckles at his not-so-subtle pun. So do you, and not Asriel. "i'm gonna be on that couch over there if ya need me. can i trust ya guys to get some sleep before your parents get back?"

You look over at Asriel. He's shaking. No wonder, considering how many bad memories he just dug up. You give him a little hug. It seems to cheer him up a bit.

"i'll just, uh, take that as a yes. g'night." Sans walks off into a closet.

Whatever it is that's making you remember these things, you're going to find out what it is.

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY, got some plot points dropping here and there, and finally gave Asriel a bit of focus! ...I need to give him more focus... Anyways, I'm going to casually remind everyone that I'm totally fine with taking suggestions for not-so-serious chapters. I'm just getting the big plotline all set up.


	6. Anime Is Real

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Dr. Alphys watch "Mew Mew Kissy Cutie".  
> (Suggested by fistfulofpennies on deviantART)

It hasn't even been a full day since you learned what your bizarre flashbacks mean. You just can't stop worrying about it. The fact that none of ~~your family~~ the Dreemurrs are home today (Asriel and Toriel are at school, Asgore had some more business with the humans) isn't helping.

Maybe something fun can take your mind off of it, just a little. You pull your phone out of your pocket, and call your friend Dr. Alphys. You're extremely glad she upgraded your phone with some pictures for you to identify contacts with; it'd be a nightmare if you had to explain to her you can't read when you first met.

Ring... Ring... "H-hello? Th-this is Dr. Alphys," a voice stammers. She seems a little better about it than she was before. A little.

"Hi," you reply. "It's Frisk."

"Oh! Aren't you, er, s-supposed to be in school right now? D-do you need help on a quiz question?"

"Nope," you say simply.

"...Okay? So, um, what are you calling about?"

"Do you wanna d... hang out?" You almost said 'date'. You have to make a point to _not_ date all of your friends on the surface, Frisk. It just makes everyone generally confused.

"Um... S-s-sure? Hey, uh, is it okay if I bring something to watch?"

You already decided. "Can we watch that show you told me about? Mew Mew Kissie Cutie?"

"Yes! That's! Actually what I was going to bring!" She's obviously holding back a squeal of delight. As much as Undyne ~~likes~~ ~~loves~~ worships anime, you doubt she'd like something with a name like 'Mew Mew Kissie Cutie'. This is probably the first time someone's wanted to watch it with Alphys.

Five minutes later, the doorbell rings. You smile and let your dinosaur friend in, and the show begins.

Just as Alphys finishes figuring out the remote, she asks, "Hey, uh, you don't mind subs, r-right?"

You cock your head. "What's a subs?"

"It's, like, um..." She stutters for a few seconds before continuing. "S-so, like, anime's from this place called Japan, right?" You nod. "A-and they don't speak English in Japan. So this still has the, uh, original audio, and the words are just written at the bottom of the screen."

This could be a problem. ...You quietly admit your illiteracy to her.

"...Oh. S-so you... n-never knew what I t-texted you... Or a-any of my status updates..." Alphys is probably screaming internally. You can see it in her eyes. "W-well! That's not important! I-I'll just, uh, read it to you!"

And so, the show begins. Alphys doesn't bother reading the theme song; You're fine with just the bright colors and energetic music. The story is like Alphys told you before: Mew Mew is a human girl with cat ears (which, she reminds you, most humans don't have) and can mind-control people she kisses (of course, she never does anything bad). By the end of the third episode, you're really attached to the character. Which only makes it more shocking when she _misses_ a kiss, and the boy she's trying to romance (he looks a bit like Mettaton, now that you think of it) becomes aware of her power. You're on the edge of your seat when-

"Hey, Frisk, we're home!"  
"How was your day, my child?"

You and Alphys glance at each other, slightly horrified. Asriel and Toriel are back.

Asriel runs into the living room. "Hey, so- Oh, Dr. Alphys! Howdy!"

"H-h-hiya..." Alphys hastily pauses the TV.

"Dr. Alphys is here?" Toriel walks in. "Well, I suppose it is good that Frisk was not all alone."

"R-right, M-Miss Dreemurr! Frisk and I were, uh, just watching some anime."

"Anime?" Toriel cocks her head. "Those are the cartoons you and Undyne watch, yes?"

"Yes! And this one is very family-friendly, I promise!" Alphys is starting to freak out.

Asriel looks at the TV, and raises an eyebrow. "This is... Mew Mew Kissie Cutie, right?"

"You watch it?" Alphys' eyes light up.

Asriel sighs. "No, I just... know of it. It's... not my thing."

You try hard not to laugh a bit. Looks like Asriel was in your place in some other timeline.

Now all four of you are on the couch, watching the show. Toriel and Alphys are both providing voices ("This is an excellent way to teach Frisk how to read", Toriel said early on), while Asriel just sort of looks away trying to ignore it.

Despite her love interest losing trust in her before, Mew Mew manages to win him over for real by the end of the series. She learns that she doesn't need to hide behind her power to get people to like her, and to just be herself. You can see why Alphys loves it so much.

"H-hey, so, there's this anime convention in the human city," Alphys tells you as she starts heading back home. "Undyne and I are going next week, and, er, I was wondering if you'd, uh, want to... come with us?"

You smile and nod. After a day of indulging in anime, you're more than happy to meet more people into it. ~~Even if it does mean going to the human city.~~ "If Mom lets me, sure," you say.

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First suggestion chapter! And it's extremely fluffy! Hey, I don't always want to write serious stuff, especially in a world with lizard otakus and robot rock stars. I want to write a few more fluff chapters before the plot gets going again, just to flesh out all the characters a bit more, and to keep this story in a cheery, lighthearted place. I don't want this to be a completely heavy thing; I want this to be about Frisk and Asriel living on the surface. ...I guess mostly Frisk, but that has a lot to do with the narration following Frisk. I'll be sure to write a more Asriel-focused chapter soon.
> 
> In any case, if you have any suggestions for a fluffier chapter, I'm glad to hear 'em!


	7. Day Off

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk spends some time with the Dreemurrs.

Eff... Arr... Eye... Ess... Kay. You write your name down.

Ay... Ess... Arr... Eye... Ee... El. You write your ~~brother's~~ best friend's name down.

Tee... Oh... Arr... Eye... Ee... El. You write your ~~mom's~~ teacher's name down.

Ay... Ess... Gee... Oh... Arr... Ee. Your write ~~your dad's~~ the king's name down.

You show Toriel the words you just scrawled out onto paper. She smiles proudly. "Well done, my child. Do you think you can spell other words now?"

You shake your head. You only know ~~your family's~~ the Dreemurr's names because you live with them. Having the alphabet written out right next to you also helps.

Toriel sighs, then puts her paw on your shoulder. "Well, you are doing just fine. Take all the time you need. Alright?"

You smile, nod, and start putting away your papers and things. It's finally a Saturday, and you've been looking forward to just spending time with Toriel, Asriel, and Asgore. It's not like you don't like being able to hang out with all of your friends all the time, but it's weird that you never seem able to be around the people you live with.

You run back upstairs, to find Asriel still asleep. He seems to sleep a lot later than you do (probably because he likes to stay up late stargazing), but that's neither here nor there. You gently nudge him awake. He sorta rolls over and mumbles something before opening his eyes. "Morning," he says groggily.

Suppressing a giggle, you tell him that it's already noon.

"Wh-what?" He jumps out of bed. "Already? Oh, Mom's gonna kill me..."

You cock your head, and ask if he had plans.

"Well, no," he admits, "but it's the idea. If I oversleep now, Mom'll think I'll oversleep on school days, and then she'll set up a stupidly loud alarm clock or something like..." He trails off when he sees you laughing. "Hey! I'm being serious! It's something she would do!"

"I know," you say, "but you're so worked up about it." This must be what it's like for Sans living with Papyrus. ...You need to check in with Papyrus later. But that's for another time.

Following that exchange and a quick lunch, you find yourself helping Asgore with the garden out front. Even if you've had some bad experiences with flowers before, there's a certain charm that gardening has for you. You just like helping these plants grow and thrive. Or maybe you're just thinking about it too much. Who knows?

"So, Frisk," Asgore says, interrupting your introspection, "how has this week been?"

"Fine," you reply simply.

"That is good," he says with a nod. "I'm sorry that I could not be home very much."

"It's fine," you say bluntly.

Asgore starts saying something, then stops. Something's making him a bit uncomfortable, but you don't probe for info. After all, you have your secrets. Might as well let him have his.

A few minutes of silence pass, before Asgore speaks again. "You know, Asriel used to love gardening. Not so much anymore, but he was always eager to help out before... Well, you know."

You nod in acknowledgement. You have a pretty good idea of why Asriel would rather avoid flowers. And you think Asgore does, too. Maybe. You never were quite sure how aware he was of your time-shenanigans.

You quickly refocus on the garden. You don't want to trigger another flashback, especially not now, outside in the afternoon, in front of ~~your dad~~ Asgore. It'd just make him worried. Give the flowers water, give them plant food, pull any weeds you find... It's a repetitive process, and it's a great way to forget your problems.  
...  
Soon, it's evening. Toriel's made spaghetti for dinner (she's giving Papyrus cooking lessons on the side, so pasta's become a common dinner), and it's amazing as everything else she cooks.

Asgore tells everyone about how much of a help you were in the garden, while Asriel half-brags about a picture he drew today. It's his "God of Hyperdeath" character, the powerful persona he used the first time you met him. That's one memory you're never forgetting. Anyways, he spends a good ten minutes talking about all of his powers and special attacks and what-have-you.

...This is what having a family is like, isn't it?

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I thought it was about time I gave the Dreemurrs a bit of focus, since Frisk, y'know, lives with them. Also, sorry for missing last week's update. It took me a while to figure out what direction to take this chapter. Please forgive me.
> 
> Another thing I wanted to explore was Frisk's thoughts on the Dreemurrs and where they fit in with them. I'm mostly doing it with those striked-out parts. I think it's a clever way to do it.
> 
> Anyways, I want to write one or two more fluff chapters before I go back to the main story. Friendly reminder: I'm very open to suggestions.


	8. Nighttime Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk and Asriel talk about some stuff.

It's late at night, but you can't sleep. Not because you're stressed, no, because Mettaton's having a concert tonight and you can feel the beats shaking the ground. At least the music's great.

 ~~Your parents~~ Toriel and Asgore are out again, and Sans is babysitting again. This time's much more relaxed; you can hear him snoring downstairs. You and Asriel are doing your own things in your room.

Asriel's reading some comic books he found at the librarby by firelight. You always liked those. The pictures were enough to get you through the stories. You're practicing your magic. You've been trying to figure out green magic; you'd rather be able to heal people than hurt them. You've managed to make some green-tinted flames, but nothing like the deep emerald things you've seen before.

Eventually, Asriel breaks the quiet. "Hey, Frisk?"

"Yeah?" You dispel your attempted green flame, and cast a normal one. It gives off better light.

"Why did you save me?"

"Huh?" You cock your head. "I told you, didn't I? It's not a happy ending unless everyone is happy, and that includes you."

"I know, but..." He trails off. "But I was the _bad guy._ I hurt your friends, and laughed about it. And you always acted like we were best friends. Why?"

You... never really thought of that. Now's as good a time as any. "Well... Because when I saw you- the real you, not Flowey- I didn't see a 'bad guy'. I saw someone like me, alone and afraid in a strange world." You smile. "I'll never forget that moment, when you... y'know. I thought you were so cool."

"Really?" Asriel smiles. "I was worried I was trying too hard... But anyways, I just wanted to know." He dispels his flame. "You gave up so much... I'm still not sure if I can say this soul's mine."

Silence ensues.

"Hey, Frisk? Do you want to know why I acted like that? When I was a flower, I mean."

You think on it, then say, "No, not really."

"Eh?"

"It doesn't matter why you did those things, because it wasn't really you." You look away shamefully. "In the timelines when I couldn't save you, you told me to think of you and Flowey as different people. So that's what I do." You look back at Asriel. "So... Don't think you're still a heartless bad guy, 'cause you're not. You're Asriel. You're my... Um..." You look away shyly. "Is... Is it okay if I call you my brother?"

Asriel's a bit stunned by your request, then laughs a little. "Frisk, do you really need to ask? I couldn't ask for a better... Er, brother? Sister?"

You shrug. "Whichever you want."

"O...kay..." He seems a bit weirded out. ...Why do people always get weirded out? You never thought this sort of thing was that important. "Well, anyways, I couldn't ask for a better sibling. And... thanks. I needed to get all this off my chest."

You feel a tinge of something when Asriel says he couldn't ask for a better sibling. What, though? It doesn't even feel like it's your reaction...

Whatever. It's probably not important. What is important is that you can finally say you have a brother.

After a few more minutes of silence, you break the quiet. "Asriel, do you really think I..."

"I dunno." He looks out one of the windows, at the stars. "But... even if you did, it doesn't matter, right? Not even I remember you doing something like that, so you must have reset it long ago."

"Yeah..." You pull up your covers closer to your face. "Does it scare you? It scares me."

"Yeah, it's a scary idea," Asriel says with a nod. "But we're going to face it together, yeah?"

You smile a bit. It's really nice to know you have a brother to count on. "Yeah."

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When I wrote the first chapter of this, I wanted it to focus on Frisk and Asriel. I've fallen away from that goal, mostly because I wanted to introduce most of the main cast of Undertale, and it's easier to write two characters than three. Now, I'm going to reel the focus back where I wanted it in the first place.
> 
> Also, since I touched on it and I know it's a touchy subject, here's my stance on Frisk's gender: I'm not going to specify it ever, and Frisk's response if asked is always going to be something along the lines of 'I don't really care'. I like to think that, at least in this story, Frisk takes the idea of ignoring appearance to see the real person to its logical extreme, to the point that they just don't care about looks at all. That's why they were able to quickly calm down after discovering they turned into a monster; They're still the same Frisk, just all fuzzy.
> 
> Anyways, next chapter, the story will pick up again. Stay tuned!


	9. Not Alone

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Frisk is only getting more and more afraid of their flashbacks.

Today's your first real day at school. You still have some trouble with letters, but you can manage on your own now. Also, you were getting a little tired of having to spend each day at home while everyone else was doing something. You've never liked being all alone. When there's no one to talk to, you just think to yourself, and then you think about all the bad things that have happened or could happen. And that's just unpleasant.

"Yo, Frisk!" A voice snaps you out of your introversion. It's that monster kid you always forget to ask the name of. "You're finally back, huh?"

You smile and nod. "Yeah. I just needed some time to, uh, get ready." You still don't want to tell anyone you were completely illiterate a couple weeks ago.

"Alright, cool." He starts running off. "See you in class!"

You wave. "See you!" He's always been cheerful. You'd like to think he's the fastest friend you've made. You're pretty sure you're friends. Why wouldn't you be?  
...  
_As you silently cross the bridge, a voice stops you. "Yo!"_

_You turn around. It's the one who's been following you. You stare it down._

_"Yo. Undyne told me to stay away from you. She said you... You hurt a lot of people." It looks away uncomfortably. "But, yo, that's not true, right?"_

_You say nothing. Acting innocent wouldn't do anything, not when your hands are already covered in so much dust._

_"...yo... Why aren't you answering me?" Now it looks afraid. Like it should be. "A... and what's with that weird expression?"_

_Weird expression? You never were one to express much. You take a step closer, and push the creature back. It's almost like you want it to run._

_"Oh... oh man..." It's trembling and sweating. You've never seen anything more afraid of you. It mutters something to itself, then looks you in your cold, unfeeling eyes. "Yo... Y-you'd b-better st-stop r-right where you are... 'Cause if you w-wanna hurt anyone else... you're..." It shakes its head, then its horrified expression turns to one of resolve. "You're gonna have to get through me, first. A...a...and..."_

_You grip the plastic knife in your hand. It's been remarkably useful, despite being a toy. Simply drawing your weapon has made this thing afraid of you all over again._

_And it's just in your way._

_"In my way."_  
...  
"Frisk? Hey, Frisk?" Someone jolts you out of your trance. You blink a few times, before you realize it's Asriel. "Are you okay?"

"...I dunno..." You shake your head.

"So you had another one," Asriel infers, "right?" You nod. "Okay, just... stay with me, alright? If it happens again, I'll be there to bring you back."

"...Yeah..." This one was different, though. Usually, in those dreams, you're an unfeeling killer. But this time, you felt like you regretted it. What does it mean?

For a second, you wish you never could reset. Then you wouldn't have these nightmares.

No, then you also wouldn't have been able to save Asriel. Heck, you never would have made it out of the Ruins if you couldn't save and reset.  
...  
School is surprisingly uneventful, especially since you tried to avoid most people. You don't want to trigger another episode. Not here, where everyone can see you. And what if you start acting during an episode? Or if it takes you a minute to realize it's ended? What if you hurt someone? You'd rather isolate yourself a little than hurt any of your friends.

"Frisk?" Tori... Your mother has a concerned tone. Oh boy... "I noticed you were hiding from the other children at school today."

You nod in response.

"If you are worried that they will make fun of you, I promise that they will not." She sits down next to you. "If something is wrong, you can tell me."

"It's nothing, mom..." That's the biggest lie you've ever told, and you know she knows it.

Her eyes narrow. "If you say so." She gets up. "If you ever do have something on your mind, I will be right here. Alright?"

"Yeah." You slip up to your room. Asriel's already there, drawing away in a huge notebook.

Without looking up, he says, "You're a terrible liar, you know that?"

"I know... But how can I tell her?" You sit down at the side of your bed. "I don't think I can tell anyone but you and Sans, and if I try, I'll probably have another episode."

"I feel you, Frisk." He sighs and sets his notebook aside. "But it's like I said this morning. I'll be with you to bring you back."

You feel a bit reassured, but still incredibly uneasy. But despite that...

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So it looks like Frisk can have flashbacks just by talking to people. Gee, that sure won't be a problem soon.
> 
> Anyways, I just wanted this chapter to establish how Frisk is dealing with their flashbacks; which is poorly. Hard to blame them, since only two people fully understand, and one of them can be extremely creepy. But it's still no way to deal with it.
> 
> And yes, this is all going to explode next chapter. Stay tuned! This weekend, I'm posting one chapter each day! That's this one, one tomorrow, and one on Sunday. Excited? I am!


	10. Megalomainac

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything goes horribly, horribly wrong.

You've managed to get through the week without setting off another flashback. But it meant staying away from most of your friends, and your parents are just getting more and more worried about it.

After quietly finishing dinner, you politely ask if you can go upstairs.

"Frisk, could you please stay a little longer?" Your mom is practically begging you. "You have been so distant this week."

"I'm fine, really," you insist.

"It is not fine," your dad asserts. "Until we came to the surface, you were the kindest, friendliest, and most open-hearted person I've ever seen." He looks you in the eyes. "Frisk. Your mother and I know something is bothering you."

You look to Asriel for help. He has no idea what to do.

"We only want to help you, my child," Toriel says.  
...  
_"I am only protecting you. Do you understand?"_

_So she says. You know that the door's the only thing between you and the rest of the underground. The only thing between you and your victims._

_You chase her all the way to the end of the corridor, and a fight starts. It's over just as fast. A single strike is all that it takes to cut her down._

_"Y...you... really hate me that much?" She asks, coughing up dust._  
...  
"Frisk!?"

Asriel grabs your shoulder. You don't respond. You're not in control anymore. You don't even notice him. You don't notice the lingering magic in your hands. You don't notice that you just attacked the woman you called your mother.

"Frisk! What are you doing!?" Asgore runs to his wife's side.  
...  
_"What kind of monster are you...? Sorry, I cannot tell." Your last target looks away uncomfortably. "Well, we can always-"_

_You cut it off by drawing your weapon._

_"Now, now," it says, visibly frightened. "There is no need to fight. Why not settle this over a nice cup of tea?"_

_You answer with a single, powerful blow._

_"Why... you..."_  
...  
"FRISK!" Asriel's crying now. "Wake up, Frisk! It's just a bad dream!"

You can't hear him. You're only vaguely aware of the two monsters lying on the ground, shocked and hurt.

You turn towards Asriel, and prepare another attack.

"Frisk, I'm sorry about this, but if it's what it takes...!" Asriel gets you by surprise with a sudden star attack.

You're blown across the room and into a wall. You blink. Why does everything hurt? Why is the dining room all wrecked? And why are your parents... Oh. Oh no.

"Hey, Frisk?" Asriel approaches. "You're you again, right?"

"What... did I...?" You look at your shaking hands. You can still feel a bit of magic on them.

"It wasn't you," Asriel insists. "It was... whatever that thing in your dreams is."

"N...no..." Tears start falling down your face. "I... did this..." And with that, you run out of the house. Then you run out of town. Then you run up the mountain, until you reach a familiar place. You stare down the deep, dark hole. You can vaguely see a yellow patch at the bottom.

You could probably survive the fall.

...Wait. Someone's here. You don't need to look to know. "Asriel, go home..."

"What are you doing here, Frisk?" He's out of breath. ...How far are you, anyways? "You're... you're not actually going to...?"

You nod. "I can't hurt anyone if I'm away from everyone."

"No!" He grabs your wrist. "Everything's going to be fine! Dr. Alphys is on her way to help Mom and Dad, and I know they won't hate you!"

You cringe. "But... What if this happens again?"

"I'll be there to bring you back," he responds instantly.

It doesn't sound so reassuring anymore.

"Asriel... I'm so sorry." You turn around, and give a sad smile. "You deserve a better sibling than me." You take one step back, then another.

"Frisk!!"

It's too late. No going back now. You're falling down.  
...  
_Stay determined._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy. S*it is going down.
> 
> What's waiting for Frisk at the bottom of the hole? You'll have to wait until tomorrow to find out! Don't you just love cliffhangers?


	11. Fallen

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> [Here we go.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZZnAdTX3nk)

Everything hurts. Your arms hurt, your legs hurt, your head hurts... It's hard just to stand up, but you manage to do it. You're glad you survived the fall. You have no idea when the last time you saved is.

You look up, and see the sunlight shining down on you. This might be the only place you can feel it again... But if the alternative is risking hurting your friends whenever you see them, it's worth it.

You start walking towards the place you once called home, through the room where you first met Asriel. But someone else is there: A human, with messy brown hair and a green-and-yellow striped shirt. They look up at you, and smile.

"Greetings. I am Chara."

A chill runs down your spine. This can't be real. Chara's supposed to be-

"Dead?" They chuckle. "We wish. The truth is, I've been with you, Frisk. I've been with you for a long time. Every memory you can remember... Those aren't only yours. They are ours." They're barely moving as they speak. "Those flashbacks you've been having? Those are _my_ memories, not yours and not ours."

You take a step back. Chara laughs.

"There's nowhere to run. Even if there was, we have been together since you fell into the underground. I will find you." They raise a gleaming knife, and point it at you. "Frisk. I am Chara. I am the demon who stole your body and murdered everyone you love. And now, I am going to kill you."

Without hesitation, Chara lunges at you. You dive out of the way, but take a blow to your arm. You cry out in pain. You knew monsters were hurt more when someone has great killing intent, but this... This is beyond what you could ever imagine. It feels like your arm is on fire.

Chara stops, and watches you writhe in pain. You can't get a good look at their face, and you don't want to know whatever they're thinking.

"Get up," they command. "You should be stronger than this if you really saved everyone."

Slowly, you climb up to your shaking knees, then onto your feet. You hold your wounded shoulder and look Chara in the eyes. You can feel some dust around the gash already... No. You need to stay determined. You will not die here.

Chara smirks, and unleashes a flurry of stabs and slashes. You jump back and away, managing to evade the entire attack. "Why are you doing this?" You try to sound strong, but it's hard when you're already so hurt. "Why do you need to kill everyone!?"

"..." Chara has no answer. "Be quiet. Why I do the things I do doesn't matter anymore. No matter how much..." Their voice shakes at that last part. "...Forget it." They shake their head, and look right at you. Their eyes are burning red with determination.

You barely have time to react to Chara's next attack. They leap up, and slash down. You back out of the way just in time, the edge of the knife millimeters away from your chest. You summon strength you didn't know you had, and grab their wrist. They're too surprised by your move to respond, and you effortlessly twist their weapon out from their hand. Then you grab it, and throw is as far away as you can.

"...Interesting." Chara doesn't seem to respond much to your counter. "After I tried to murder you, you still try to find a way to solve this peacefully..." They hold up their hand. "It's a shame that you're so foolish. You know it more than anyone else." Red particles start to form around their hand. Are they...? "In this world..."

A massive, curved blade of red magic forms into their hand. " **It's kill or be killed!** "

Chara is using magic. How is Chara using magic? You're too stunned by this sudden turn of events to fully notice that Chara's started attacking again. You jump away just before the weapon crashes down above you, implanting a bit into the ground. Chara wastes no time pulling it back out, and swinging again.

They hit your better arm. You scream. This hurts even more than the knife! Your arm's gone numb, your vision is blurry. You sense that you don't have many HP left.

"What are you doing!?" Chara swings again, and the attack connects. "I'm killing you!" Another swing, another blow. "Defend yourself!" You somehow dodge this next one. "Fight back!"

You have only one HP left. You're beaten and on the ground. You feel some dust around wherever it was you were struck. Chara is standing over you, sword raised. With the last of your strength, you utter a few words: "Please don't kill me..."

"What?" Chara's hands shake. "You... You're asking me!?"

"Please don't kill me..."

"Sh-shut up!" It looks like they're... crying? "I don't have a choice!"  
...  
_"Please don't kill me..."_

_You look on the flower. It's trembling, afraid of you. To think that once you would have nightmares about it..._

_You hesitate. Even after committing genocide, you find it hard to bring yourself to finish off this one last pathetic excuse of a monster. It reminds you of someone... Someone who called you his best friend. You stand in silence, while the flower awaits the end._  
...  
"I'm so sorry..." Chara collapses to their knees, and their weapon dissolves. "I'm so sorry..." They slump over, and you catch them.

After a long cooldown hug, both of you have regained enough energy to hold a conversation. "You want to know what's going on with those flashbacks," Chara says, "don't you?"

"...I'm scared to know, but... yeah." You nod. "I want to know."

Chara leans their head back. "When you first fell down here, your determination woke me up. I saw whatever it was you were doing. I felt like you and I were alike. We both had a reason to run away from humanity." An uncomfortable silence follows. "Anyways, I think that you woke up... _something_ else. Each time you reset, it looked like you were less and less in control of your actions. Then... Then I saw you start hunting down monsters. I knew it couldn't be you, and I didn't want you to live with all of that."

"Why?" You tilt your head.

"Because... Because I thought we might be friends, if we ever could meet." Chara sighs. "I... I basically replaced you. That's why you don't remember that timeline. I became that _thing's_ puppet to ruin the world with." They cringe. "I hated every second of it. Eventually, I stopped caring. I accepted my role as the murderous freak. And then... Then I had to kill Asriel." Their voice quivers. "That was it. I couldn't take it anymore. So I found a way to get whatever that thing was to go away. I made it think I was some kind of demon, and said that I would need your soul to reset again after the world was completely destroyed." They laugh a bit. "It agreed, like an idiot. All that changed was that I had influence over you, rather than that thing. Your memory starts there, after I took your soul."

You look at your chest, and call 'your' soul into your hands. "So... this isn't really mine, then..."

"N-no!" Chara backpedals. "I only 'took' it so the other thing couldn't have it. That soul is yours, to do whatever you want with." They put a hand on your shoulder. "I thought that your flashbacks might mean _it_ was coming back, but now I know I was wrong. Frisk, I need you to live your life, for our family."

"Huh?" Does he mean the Dreemurrs? "B-but... how can I see them now...?"

"Frisk." Chara looks you in the eyes. "Mom and Dad already understand. And even if they don't, Asriel does, and so do I. You're not alone anymore. You don't need to run away."

You crack a smile. You really have a knack for making friends by fighting.

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally got to Chara! I hope you weren't expecting an irredeemable villain, because the point of Undertale is that _everyone_ can be a good person. Also, since it's established that _you_ are an active force in the game, it's just ridiculous to assume that an in-game character would be responsible for whichever route _you_ decide to take. Just sayin'.
> 
> And so this concludes the rapid-fire posts this weekend! I hope you enjoyed.


	12. The Road Home

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Everything finally calms down a bit.

It hasn't been long since your encounter with Chara. The two of you have decided to stay in the place you once called 'Home' until you decide what to do next. You're still a bit reluctant to go back to the surface, despite Chara insisting otherwise.

"What if I hurt them again," you tell them, "even worse than last time?"

"It won't happen," Chara assures you. "Those flashbacks... Those were probably my fault. I've been stuck in your head since you fell down, you see. It's a maddening existence, being able to see but not act. I desperately wanted to get out, and... I think once I started to, my memories started rubbing off onto you. I'm... sorry about that, but now that I've separated myself, I doubt they'll come back."

You nod, not completely sure what all of this means or implies, but accepting it regardless. "I just need some time, okay?"

As if to challenge your request, you hear a voice from below. "FRIIIIIIISK!" Asriel dashes up the stairs, and into the living room where you're sitting. "Frisk, thank God you're-" He stops, and his eyes widen. "Ch... Chara?"

Chara looks just as confused. "Wait. You can... see me?"

The question is answered by a sudden hug. "I missed you so much, Chara..."

Chara returns the hug. "Same here, Asriel. I'm... I'm sorry about what happened."

"It wasn't your fault! And we still set everyone free, right?"

You decide not to correct Asriel. You don't want to ruin this moment.

"...Right." And so, the hug ends.

You and Chara quickly explain everything that just happened, and how Chara is even there. Asriel follows along very well. You almost expect him to freak out about the genocide part, but then remember that Asriel did a lot of weird things as a flower.

There's still one question you have, however. "Chara, um... What _are_ you, exactly? Like, are you a ghost? An actual ghost, not like Napstablook."

Chara just sighs. "I don't know. Your determination is the only thing keeping me here. I'm pretty sure only you two can see me, since I'm stuck to Frisk's soul." They close their eyes in focus, the same way you do when you call out your soul into your hands. But nothing happens. "I guess I am just a ghost now."

"W-well, that doesn't matter," Asriel insists. "What's important is that we're all here, we're all sane, and we can go back home whenever you two are ready."

"...Yeah." Chara cracks a smile. "I've... wanted to hear that for a long time."

And so, the three of you make your way back through the Underground and to the surface. It's a bit eerie, with everyone gone, but Chara and Asriel are chatting so much that you barely notice. You're amused to learn that both of them used personas they made up to roleplay with when they fought you. In hindsight, it's not too surprising.

In no time at all, you reach the capital, and the castle. Chara stops, looking on their old home. "Hold on, there's something I want to take back." After some looking around, they find a locket, just like the one you found before. "I wonder..." They click it open and wind a small key. A song starts to play. You remember it; It's the same song that statue in Waterfall plays. "...Good." They click it shut, and stuff it in a pocket. You decide not to ask how that works, if Chara's a ghost that only you and Asriel can see.

The three of you quietly walk to the end of the castle, past the garden, and past where the Barrier once stood. It's raining on the surface. Not so much that you need to run for cover, this is more of a light shower.

"I never thought I'd see it again," Chara mutters. "It looks so different than when I left." They look at you. "Frisk, I'm not going to sugarcoat it. I _hate_ humanity. But I want to know what you think."

"...Humans can be bad, yeah," you say solemnly, "but there's good ones, too. I'm sure of it."

"Yeah, I thought you'd say that. You're stronger than me, Frisk. It's easy to hate someone, to just assume there's no good in them." They crack a smile. "I'm glad that we're such different people."

You shake your head. "I don't think we're really opposites. We both just wanted to get everyone a happy ending. We just... had different ways of doing it." You give them a small hug. "Don't beat yourself up over what you did. Alright?"

"Alright."

Asriel clears his throat to grab your attention. "I, uh, hate to interrupt, but Dr. Alphys is probably freaking out right now. I told her I'd have you back soon, and it's... not soon anymore. So we should, er, probably get going."

You smile and nod. "Lead the way."

You're filled with determination.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, school's been going on for a few weeks now. Because of that, updates are going to get a lot less regular for a while. I'm glad I got this far as soon as I did; If this ends up being a hiatus, at least there's a bit of closure. That said, I do intend to write more. There's more mysterious entities for Frisk to meet, after all. Plus, ghost-Chara's part of the main cast now, so that opens up a looooooooooot of possibilities.
> 
> In other news, I've been working on a Cave Story fic bit by bit. It isn't going to be nearly as long as [CONTINUE], so I'll post it whenever it's done instead of semi-regular updates. Something to look forward to, maybe.


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